"Henrik?" Henrik?" Klaus called in a louder voice as he walked down the hall of their home towards his brother's bedroom.

"Hey, are you ready?" He asked spotting him sitting on his bed, doing up his shoe laces rather slowly. "We'll be late if we don't leave soon."

"All set." The little boy replied, getting up. "Sorry, I'm tired."

Lately, Klaus had been keeping Henrik's physical activity to a minimum and making sure that he went to bed even earlier then his scheduled bedtime. There was no reason for Henrik to feel sluggish, except for his illness, which meant this was real and beginning to take its toll. A thought Klaus had been pretty much avoiding since finding out.

"Alright well let's get going. You can sleep in the car if you want." He said trying to sound nonchalant. There was no sense worrying him with a bunch of questions about how he was feeling. He was going to get enough of those in the next few days already.

They walked down the stairs where Elijah was waiting for them. Today they would be meeting with the organ donor registry and transplant team, who would make their own assessments about Henrik's condition and would then talk them through the process of organ transplants. Unfortunately this "meeting" would take two days of rigorous testing and unrelenting questions. If he'd been stressed by the hour long consults with Caroline, how would he handle two days of this with a team of know it all medical professionals?

Elijah opened his mouth to say something about the time, but Klaus shot him a look that said, "Shut it." Elijah understood it thankfully and simply opened the front door for them in silence. Sometimes Klaus really did love his brother's tact.

It was rare that Klaus and Elijah took Henrik to appointments like this together as one of them usually had to cover the other's absence from work but giving the emotional duress of the appointment, they'd decided having Elijah there as a level headed presence to combat Klaus' temper would probably be best. Klaus knew it was for the better but it bothered him a bit all the same. He wanted to be able to take Henrik on his own and trust that he could withstand the entire consultation without losing his head. The responsible part of him knew though that it would be better if Elijah came.

"Really Niklaus, what would you do without your big brother to reign in your volatile temper?"

The voice of his father rang clear in his head as they walked out the door and towards the SUV. Klaus found himself telling the voice to shut up and then cursing himself for paying attention to the voice in his head at all.

The ride to the hospital was relatively quiet, Henrik having fallen asleep almost as soon as they pulled out of the driveway. Elijah and him kept the conversation cordial for the first ten minutes discussing business mostly until they were sure Henrik was deep enough into his sleep that he wouldn't hear them.

"He's already starting to show signs." Elijah remarked from the driver's seat.

"He's starting to show signs of being tired and of constantly being in and out of hospitals, not of a failing liver. When his skin turns yellow, I'll worry." Of course he was already worried but he didn't want to admit that.

"You mean you'll face this." His brother responded, reading between the lines.

"I am facing this Elijah, everyday." Klaus replied tightly.

"I just know that this will effect you more then it will effect the rest of us with you being the official guardian. I want you to make sure you take care of your feelings towards this as well so that when it does become a significant issue, you're in the right state of mind to be there for him."

"You're message is loud and clear brother. Don't be selfish about this. Don't lose your temper. Keep your head. I've heard these things all my life, I don't need a reminder."

Elijah was silent for a moment before breaking the awkwardness that had settled between them. "I apologize. I was not trying to sound patronizing."

"You mean you weren't trying to sound like him." Klaus said referring to their father and his constant berating of them.

"Those are your words not mine."

"I'll be fine Elijah. I can handle whatever need be."

"I'm glad to hear it and I know you can, I just want you to know that you are not doing this alone. All of us are here to help. We stick together always. You are not in this with Henrik by yourself."

Xxx

When they reached the hospital a little while later, Klaus got Henrik up without much of a problem. He volunteered to carry him in, but his little brother insisted on walking, saying he was getting too big to be carried around.

After grabbing their overnight bags from the trunk and checking in (both he and Elijah would be staying over night with Henrik in an empty room), they were led into a conference room of sorts where no less then half a dozen people stood ready for them. Klaus felt Henrik grab the back of his sleeve out of nervousness. Klaus had to admit it felt nice to know he still needed his big brother.

Elijah and him took charge right away, shaking hands with everyone in the room and introducing them to Henrik who followed his brothers leads and shook the hands of all the men and women, to the amusement of some of them who returned smiles at the very grownup gesture of a little boy.

They sat and Klaus listened as they were instructed as to whom everyone was. They met a social worker, pediatric transplant coordinator, and a series of transplant surgeons, anesthesiologist, and specialists from cardiology and nutrition. Their names were all starting to run together in Klaus' mind when the next introduction got his attention.

"I'm Isobel Fleming, I'll be your clinical nurse specialist."

"Pardon my interruption," Klaus cut in, holding up his hand to interrupt this most recent introduction, "I was under the impression we would be staying with our original team that came with our pediatrician, the people Henrik's already been working with?" he asked, clarifying.

"You will be." One of the doctors confirmed, which was no help.

"Well then" he continued turning back to Isobel, "Henrik has already been assigned a nurse. They've been working together for months now and I'm in no hurry to change that so it looks like we won't be needing you." Klaus kept his tone pleasant but his message was clear. You're dismissed.

"That's not a problem Mr. Mikaelson. More then likely that nurse will stay on to monitor Henrik when he needs checkups through his pediatrician but Nurse Fleming will be a member of our team."

Oh this would not do. He wanted Caroline. After everything that had gone on between them and her proving that she was exactly the person to understand their needs, he wasn't about to go through all that again with this new nurse and besides, he didn't like the look of her.

"And what qualifies you for this position?" he asked ignoring the doctor who had just spoken and challenging the Fleming woman.

His slightly acidic tone didn't faze her.

"Mr. Mikaelson. I have been working in the field for over a decade. I have my master's degree and have been working with transplant patients for 5 years. I have been the clinical nurse specialist on over 80 cases."

Klaus was non-pulsed by the woman's little speech. "And although that's quite impressive Nurse Fleming, 80 cases doesn't mean you know a thing about this one, or my brothers circumstances. We'll stick with the nurse we have."

"Mr. Mikaelson it's very likely the nurse you have is not properly trained or educated to handle this. You would be putting your brother at risk by having someone under qualified in the position."

"Anything Nurse Forbes may not be able to handle, you can call in your specialist for," he said nodding at Isobel who looked completely taken aback.

They all looked at each other hesitantly as though not sure how to proceed. "If this is a budget problem, I'll personally cover the added expenses." He threw in, hoping that would finish this discussion quickly.

They tried arguing with him a little longer but in the end the doctor's attempts proved fruitless. What Klaus wanted, Klaus got and right now he wanted Caroline for Henrik. Klaus' only stipulation was that Caroline not know it was he who requested her. He might tell her eventually but for now he thought it better she not know how much he had come to respect the way she did her job and balanced her personal life.

Klaus was sitting in the waiting room while Henrik was getting his x-rays done when a coffee appeared in front of his face. He looked up to see the hand holding it belonged to Elijah who was drinking one himself and obviously returned from his caffeine run.

Klaus accepted the coffee and Elijah sat down next to him. Klaus was doing a mental countdown in his head waiting for Elijah. Just as he reached zero Elijah spoke.

"That was quite the show you put on in there earlier. Demanding, was not exactly the first impression I was hoping we would make."

"I felt it best not to give them any false notions about the type of people we are." Klaus smirked.

"The type of person you are."

"Says the man who just last week almost got a sixty year old woman fired for pressing his suit the wrong way."

"I specifically said no pleats-" Elijah protested throwing his hands in the air before realizing his brother was only looking to goad him. Klaus got a perverse sense of glee in getting his brother to lose his cool.

"Why is it so important to you that she be Henrik's nurse?" he asked in a calmer voice.

"She proved herself worthy and capable." He answered simply.

"Only by your standards Niklaus, not by the standards of medical professionals and in this case, their opinion matters more then yours."

"What about the patient's opinion hmm? Henrik adores her Elijah and why should he lose contact with one more person he's grown to care for?"

"A valid point. None the less, I wonder if it's only the patient who has grown to care for her?"

"Don't speak in riddles Elijah. Whatever it is you're hinting at, go ahead and say it."

"I'm suggesting that you've developed feelings for the nurse Niklaus. She is lovely and I rarely hear you talk about anyone with respect and yet lately you've been singing her praises whenever she is brought up in conversation."

It wasn't untrue that Klaus had begun to think more highly of Caroline. They didn't stem from care though as much as mutual respect. He respected anyone who cared for a sick relative. He understood her situation because it was similar to his own and after the conversation they'd had the other day, he knew her loyalty knew no bounds. He could hedge a guess from what she had told him that she looked after her father even when it wasn't the most convenient way to spend her own time. He couldn't help but want to know more about her.

Telling Elijah all that would mean telling him about her father and he was not about to do that. She didn't want people knowing and he would respect that. It didn't mean that he wasn't trying to find out more himself, but he wasn't going to blab the information around. Instead he turned to his brother and looked at him straight on.

"I do not care for her Elijah, I simply respect her as a professional and know Henrik well enough to know he does care for her. I've seen enough nurses to know she is competent and good at her job and that's why I want her. If we're done here, I have a phone call to make."

Getting up he walked to where he could use his cell phone to send a text, leaving Elijah on is own.

How goes the detective work Watson?

Nothing going on atm. I do have a life that doesn't revolve around you Sherlock. I work tomorrow-will resume information gathering then.

Satisfied, Klaus put his phone away and went back to the waiting room where hopefully Henrik would be finishing up his latest consult and they could move on to the next.

XXX

Caroline walked out of her supervisor's office in a daze. She wasn't exactly too sure what had just happened but as she made her way upstairs to see her Dad, she couldn't help but be really really happy about it.

Her excitement must have been evident because when she walked into her Dad's room he looked particularly pleased at her face.

"Now there's an expression I haven't seen in a while. Come sit." Bill said patting the arm of the chair next to him.

"Hi Daddy. How are you?" she asked going to fill the chair.

"I'm fine. I'm much more interested in how you are. What's with the smile?"

"What I can't smile anymore either?" she asked rolling her eyes, but still grinning none the less.

"Of course you can. Nothing makes me happier then your smile, sweetheart. I would just like to know the cause of it. Did you end up going to yoga?"

She shook her head, "No yoga. I think I just got promoted though."

"Caroline that's wonderful! Tell me everything. What's the promotion for?"

"My boss just asked me if I would like to be the nurse who works with the transplant team for one of my patients. It would mean following through his registration right through to his recovery. From a professional perspective it's an amazing opportunity."

"It sounds like it. Now where did that "I think" come from?"

Caroline shrugged. Trust her father to pick up on a minute detail of her news.

"Well usually they would need a specialist for this kind of thing. Someone with much more experience then I have and a master's degree in the field. It's strange of them to pick me for it, especially when transplant teams have their own nurses on staff."

"You shouldn't doubt yourself honey. Obviously someone thinks you're qualified enough. You excel in everything you do and you've never had a problem proving yourself. Just learn the job and do your best."

"Thanks Daddy." Caroline smiled feeling restored. That was the other thing she could trust her Dad for; to make her feel better. He gave her more confidence then anyone else she knew. Her chest tightened wondering whom she would go to when he was no longer around.

She left her Dad to rest an hour later. The floor was relatively quiet at this time.

Since she hadn't seen one of her Dad's nurses around today but was curious about how his vitals were holding up (he had looked a little worse for wear despite his good mood), she figured she'd slip into the office and check his chart on the computer for his morning update.

Walking into the office, Caroline was surprised to see Katherine Pierce in there with her back to her, reading a chart of her own. Since Katherine worked in geriatrics, it wasn't exactly strange to see her on the floor but it wasn't really the norm either.

She must have heard Caroline come in behind her because without turning around she said; "I'll be out of here in a sec."

"No problem." Caroline responded easily coming up to lean against the filing cabinet behind Katherine while she waited for her to finish.

Caroline's voice must have caught her attention because Katherine turned around looking like she'd been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. Something about her expression had Caroline's eyes automatically flickering to the screen behind her where she could swear she saw her father's name at the top of the page before Katherine hurriedly turned back and closed the tab.

"Well I'll be off." She said getting up. "I have a shift that start in five so I should really get going. Good seeing you Caroline, say hi to Klaus for me…" she continued to ramble as she backed out of the room hastily, further making Caroline even more suspicious.

As soon as she left the office Caroline moved to the computer and reopened the last closed tab on the screen where sure enough her Dad's chart popped up. Caroline knew Katherine had nothing to do with her Dad's health care and she had nothing to do with her. The only connection the two of them shared was a mutual friendship with who she was now going to rename the asshole.

With that Caroline set off to find her soon to be ex-friend and give him a piece of her mind.

XXX

Klaus came out of the room Henrik was in on day two of the never-ending appointment from hell that he and Elijah were still stuck at. Klaus had never been asked so many questions, patronized, and all around annoyed as much as he had been the last two days. If they weren't asking him about Henrik's diet then they were asking them family history of illness. When they weren't doing that, him and Elijah were sitting through what was as close to a therapy session as he was ever going to get with their new "councilor" and social worker.

A clacking pair of heels caught his attention and he turned to find a casually dressed Caroline strutting quickly down the hall with what looked like a hell of a lot of purpose towards him, "Caroline what a welcome surprise." He greeted, a smile coming to his face.

Klaus realized a moment to late that her purpose was to poke him roughly in the chest as she practically tackled him over. "Why is Katherine Pierce looking into my father, and do not play dumb with me?" she all but hissed at him.

Stepping back from her surprisingly strong finger, he looked her right in the eye as he responded, "Because I asked her too."

"And the reason for that would be?" she asked tapping her foot.

"I wanted to know more about you and your life."

"And you couldn't have just asked me?"

"You're not very forthcoming with the details and this way was easier."

"Easier for what? What could you possibly need to know? Are you still mad at me for switching with Lexi and you're trying to somehow get back at me because if you are you have another thing coming Klaus Mikaelson!"

Nothing he was saying seemed to ease her; actually she was just getting angrier. "If you would allow me to explain love—"

"Don't love me and explain what? How you have the world's biggest trust issues and you resort to spying on the ill as a way to gain information to use against the people who care about them!"

Okay no that was definitely not what he was trying to do nor would he ever. "Caroline, no you have this all wrong."

She was about to respond that the only thing she was wrong about was him when Elijah's voice rang out behind them. "Ah the woman of the hour." He said warmly as he approached them to stand next to Klaus.

"Um hi Elijah," she sighed trying to instantly calm herself. "Sorry, woman of the hour?"

"Yes you've been causing quite the stir." He smiled.

"Oh this," she said gesturing to her and Klaus. "I don't usually act like this but you're brother seems to bring out the worst in me. I was actually just about to leave."

"No, not this. I think everyone is used to your little spats by now." He said with another smile, the heat rising to Caroline's cheeks. "I was actually referring to your services being in such high demand that the organ donor team has had to reassign one of their nurses in favor of you."

Klaus kept his eyes trained on her, wanting to see her reaction when she realized he was the reason behind her promotion of sorts. He hadn't planned on her finding out like this but given how angry she was, it might be just what she needed to hear, so he could get back in her good graces.

"Oh yeah I guess you guys would hear about that with it being Henrik and all. I didn't think they were replacing anyone though, I just figured they must have had some scheduling issue with their own nurse and I was a last resort because I had case history with you."

Elijah chuckled. "You were actually first choice in my brother's mind for that reason, far from last resort."

"Wait, you're telling me you two organized this?" she asked wide eyed.

"Yes, well Niklaus did. He was quite adamant the only nurse allowed near Henrik be you. It took a little negotiating but we worked it out with the doctors. That is if you accepted. You did accept didn't you?"

She didn't respond. Her eyes had gotten even bigger and shot to Klaus' for confirmation. He only nodded and gave her a small victorious smile. He was delighted that she was struggling to keep a smile off her face as she shook her head at him. Elijah who also read the shock on her face excused himself quickly thereafter as he had no desire to be in the crossfire between these two given their history of fights and what he had just walked into not moments earlier.

Whatever excuse he gave before leaving was barely heard by Caroline as her and Klaus continued to stare at each other, him challenging her with his eyes to keep ranting at him and her doing her best to try and come up with a response to wipe the smugness off his cute face.

When Elijah was out of earshot he spoke.

"I'm sorry love what were you saying about me not trusting you?" he asked innocently, cocking his head slightly.

Caroline took a deep breath to compose, reminding herself that above all else she was a professional and her response had to reflect that.

"Is that true?" she asked in a much calmer voice then he anticipated from her.

"I feel as though we've come too far to turn back now. Plus Henrik already established he expects you to always be on our team. I felt this fell into that category."

"That doesn't do anything to explain why you're spying on me and my family. You would think that you would have some modicum of trust in me if you want me for this job."

"I asked for you to be Henrik's nurse. I do trust you Caroline. You have no idea how much but I don't like being at a disadvantage with you, it's not how I operate. You're going to know everything about my family and me. Even more then you already know and it seems only fair I should get to know about you and yours.

"Klaus," she said rubbing her temples in frustration. "Despite everything that you've done to warrant a different reaction I actually want to be your friend. I like your family and I really like working with Henrik. I would be honored to work on his transplant team."

"Well then that's settled-"

"That being said," she continued as if he hadn't spoken, "I can't be your friend or even Henrik's nurse if you don't change your behavior. I am not someone under investigation. If you want to know something then you need to ask me," she said emphasizing the last words, "Not send your girlfriend in to invade mine and my father's privacy and gather information like I'm some criminal."

"I didn't know if you would tell me what I wanted to know." He said quietly. He did feel guilty for how this had all played out. He would be furious if the situation had been reversed but he never thought she'd find out. He was going to have a serious talk with Katherine.

"I like the people I work with to be separated from my personal life. It helps me compartmentalize, but if there's something you feel you simply can't live without knowing, I will tell you… If you ask nicely and possibly buy me more coffee." She added.

Klaus threw his head back laughing. She really was too easily won over by caffeine. "I'll go get you a coffee right now if it means you'll forgive me." He needed an excuse to leave the hospital for a moment anyway but first he had a message to send to someone.

She nodded eagerly at him. "You get coffee. I'm going to sit with Henrik and meet some of the other doctors. And I want a venti!" She called as he walked away smiling.

When he got to the end of the hall he shot a text to his soon to be former spy.

We need to talk


Hey guys sorry for the wait. I just moved to the U.K and have been kind of busy. Not too sure how I felt about this one, but let me know what you think! Cheers!